Can-turning device for washing machines



UME mimi@ @WEGE EUR VMLSHTLEIG'T MAGEL'IES Filed Senf;im 13. 3192@ 3 Emas-Skaai; l

nd. 9,1923. A 1,470,533

W. R. JOHNSTON CAN TURNING DEVICE FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Sent. 18. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 4Z 3141x2111( of,

@et 9 H923. BEB

. w. R. JOHNSTON CAN TURNING DEVICE FOR WASHING MACHINES Filed Sept. 18, 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Oct. 9, 1923.

UNITED STATES WALTER R. JOHNSTON, 0F VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA.

CAN-TURN'ING `:[)E'VCE FOR WASHING MACHINES.

Application me@ September 18, 1920. Serial No. 411,066.'

u 750 all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, WALTER R. JOHNSTON, a citizen of the United States, residin at Vallejo, in the county of Solano and tate of California, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements in aCan-Turning Device for Washing'Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates tol a mechanism for turning milk cans wafter the same has passed through a washing machine by moving the cans from an inverted position to an upright position. j

Another object of this invention is the production of a simple and efficient mechanism for receiving the cans from the delivery platform and swinging the cans from an inverted to an upright osition and then moving the same longitudmally of the carrier platform where the cans may be removed and stored for renewed service.

A stillfurther object .of this invention is the production of a simple and eflicient means for conveying the covers of the milk cans from the washing machine to a convenient point where the same may be assembled with the cans.

With these and other objects in View, this invention consists of certain novel constrnctions, combinations and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the can turning device. l

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

A) Figure 3 is a perspective View of a portion of the can delivering frame showing the cover carrying frame carried thereby.

Figure 4 is an end view of the cover carrying frame and a portion of the can carrying fr me.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of the ca turning cradle.

I Figure 6 is a sectionvtaken on line 6--6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the device with the canshown in its upright position.

Figure 8 'is a plan view thereof.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that the can turning device comprises a plurality of parallel rails 6, which rails support track plates 7 upon thelr upper edges. These rails Gare braced by means of the transversely extending straps 8 which pass under the rails 6 as clearly shown in Figure 1 and it of course should be understood that any suitable or desired bracing means may be employed without departing from the spirit of thei'nvention. A delivery platform 9 is supported at one end of the rails 6 as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings and this delivery platform is provided with a depending lip 10 for the .f purpose of supporting the can indicated in dotted lines and referred to by the numeral 11, could be tilted and swung into the cradle 12. I

This cradle 12 may be preferably formed of rubber lined reinforced member formed substantially semi-circular in cross section. The cradle 12 may be braced by suitable bracing bands 13 at its inner end and may also be reinforced by anyv other suitable or desired manner. The cradle 12 is preferably lined with rubber or vother resilient material for the purpose lof receiving the'cans and preventing injury to the'cans. A supporting bar 14 carries the cradle 12 and pivotally supports the same upon a journal `shaft 15. This journal shaft 15 is carried by the bearing plate 16 mounted upon the vertical standard 17. The bar is provided with an upturned end 18 which constitutes a track for the bottom of the can 11 as clearly shown in Figurel 1. The standards 17 are braced by means of the angular braces 19 which may be formed of any suitable or desired structure without departing from the ,A

spirit Vof the invention.

Thejournal 'shaft 15 is provided with a crank arm 20 secured thereto, and this crank arm 20 is engaged by means of a link arm 21, the link arm 2l being secured to theI can shifting shoe 22. This can shifting shoe 22 is formed so as to normally hang below the track plates 7 and the shoe 22 is provided with offset upwardl extending ends 23 which ends 23 trave upon the upper face of theI track plates 7 as clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of. the. drawings.V A plurality of can retaining rails 24- are supported near the discharge end of the can turning mechanism and these -rails 24 are supported by vertically extend;

ing standards 25, as clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings. These rails 24 will hold the can against lateral swinging movement when being turned from the inverted to the upright position.

As shown in Figure 2 the journal shaft D15 is engaged by an operating crank handle Y 26, thishandle being connected to an operating link 27, whereby the shaft may be oscillated by any suitable mechanism de sired for the purpose of turning the cans from an inverted to an uprightl position.

buitable adjusting apertures 28 are formed in the crank ar'm 26,-to permit the link 27 to be ad'ustably connected thereto.

In .'gures 3 and 4 is shown a can conveying mechanism or chute which delivers the cans to the turning cradle and this dep livering chute is preferably arranged at an incline so that' the cans might move toward the lower ends thereof through force of gravity. The chute comprises a plurality of slats 29 which are arranged to have their lower ends abut' againstthe platform' 9.

' These'slats 29 are supported in engagement with the substantially U-shaped members 30, these strap members carrying at their upper ends the side rails 31 clearly` shown in igure 3. These side rails 31 are diverged from eachother as indicated at 32 in Figure 3 and mayv be connected or supported at 'their outer ends in any suitable or desired manner.

A cover supporting chute is carried upon one side of the can supporting chute and comprises a plurality of strap members 33, these supporting strap members 33 supporting a track rod 34, extending longitudinally of the chute as indicated in Figures 3 and 4. The upturned ends 35 of the strap members 33 support the longitudinally extending side rails 36 and upon this side rail 36 is secured the retaining bars 37, the retaining bar 37 having downwardly turned ends 38 for securely supporting them in engagement with the side rail 36. The retaining bar 37 is adapted to prevent the can covers indicated in dotted lines as at 39 fromy falling from the chute, the edge of the cover 39 traveling upon the rail 36 as indicated in Figure 4.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6 a cradle 12 is provided which carries 'a resilient lining 40, for the purpose of supporting the cans. This cradle 12:l is supported upon a plurality of arms 41, which arms 41 have journals 42, through which tghe supporting shaft 15 extends. This shaft 15 may be supported in any suitable or desired manner from the y The crank arm 26- is then operated for.

swinging thecans to an upright position, the cans landing upon the bottom edge thereof be engaged by the shoe 22 and are pushed vtoward the discharge end of the can turning device as the cradle 12 is again swung toits orio'inal position for receiving the next can.

Itt should be understood that the cans are placed in the can chute upon the slat 29 and are fed downwardly toward the lower end. The covers of the cans are placed in the chute upon the side of the can chute as shown in dotted lines in Figurek 4, these covers also feeding towards the lower or discharge end through the course of gravity.

I claim:

l. A can turning machine comprising a trackway, a delivery platform, a cradle supported upon said platform, ashaft co-operating .with said cradle, a crank arm for actuating said shaft for swinging said cradle whereby a can delivered thereto will be swung from an inverted to an upright position, and means associated with said shaft and adapted to engage the can for moving the same longitudinally of said. track-way as the cradle is swung to its original position.

Ling of said cradle whereby a'can delivered ,thereto will be turned from an inverted to an u right "position, a can engaging shoe v2. A can turning machine comprising a slida ly mounted upon said track-way, and 1 means connecting said shoe to said cradle whereb said shoe will engage the lower edge ofy a can and move the same longitudinally of said platform as said cradle is moved to its initial position.

3. A can turning machine of the class described comprising a track-way, al delivery platform, lsaid platform provided with -a depending lipadapted to permit tilting of the can Vfrom an inverted to an inclined position, acradle supported upon said trackway and adapted to receive the can as the same is swung from the delivery platform, a shaft carried by said cradle, a crank arm carried by said shaft,` a link connected to said crank arm, a sliding shoe carried by said link and slidably mounted upon said track-way, said link adapted to. be swung under` said cradle as the same `is swung to an upright position wherebysaid4 shoe willbe positioned in the rear of a can delivered from said cradle, and said shoe adapted to engage a canfor moving the same longitudi-4 nally of said track-way as said cradle is rev turned to its initial position.

4. A device @fthe class described comprising a track-way,` said track-way provided' with a plurality of rail plates, a shifting shoe slidably mounted upon said rail lplates and provided can enga-ging ends n adapted to engage the lower edge of a can and shift the same longitudinally of said rail plates as Said shoe 1s moved longitudinally, a link engaging said shoe, a crank arm engaging said link, a cradle supported upon said track-way and adapted to receive a can, a shaft carrying said cradle and crank and arranged to move the cradle and crank simultaneously whereby the shoe will be moved inwardly with respect to the discharge end ofthe track-way as the cradle is sWun to an upright position and will be moveV outwardly with respect to the discharge end of the track-Way as the cradle lo is moved to a receiving position.

5. In a can inverting mechanism a platform, a swinging cradle adjacent the platform and adapted to-receive cans moved from said platform, a trackway beneath said cradle adapted to receive cans from the crathe cradle is moved to position to receive a f can from the platform.

In testimony whereof 'I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VALTER R. JOHNSTON. Witnesses:

CHARLES E. HAGER, THEO. L. WEI/m. 

